Pack needs big win tonight on national stage

N.C. State men's basketball coach Mark Gottfried, at right, knows a win on Tuesday's Jimmy V Classic could help get the Wolfpack back on the national stage. Earlier this season, the team was ranked high in the AP Top 25 poll.

The Associated Presss

By Bob Sutton, bsutton@thetimesnews.com

Published: Monday, December 3, 2012 at 01:34 PM.

North Carolina
State
’s stock is still relatively high this season, but the Wolfpack has whiffed on a couple of chances to make a significant national impression during the opening month in men’s basketball.

So that means the Wolfpack ought to be itching a little tonight with a game against
Connecticut
on a grand stage: At Madison Square Garden on national television as part of the Jimmy V Classic.

“Sometimes your record may not be as glamorous, but the goal is to make sure you’re getting better,”
N.C.
State
coach Mark Gottfried said. “You’ve got to get to the point where you are winning those marquee games.”

The Wolfpack has dropped two of its last three games, falling to
Oklahoma
State
in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off championship game and at
Michigan
. After tonight,
N.C.
State
’s other six games this month are at home.

N.C.
State
’s participation in the Jimmy V Classic is appropriate given that Jim Valvano is a former Wolfpack coach.

“When you look around the country, a lot of people will be watching, recruits will be watching,” Gottfried said. “We’re trying to do things that set us apart, and (this event) is going to be a fun night because of all the things.”

“I think it’s a privilege for us to be in that game. I think that’s a big deal for
N.C.
State
.”

North CarolinaState’s stock is still relatively high this season, but the Wolfpack has whiffed on a couple of chances to make a significant national impression during the opening month in men’s basketball.

So that means the Wolfpack ought to be itching a little tonight with a game against Connecticut on a grand stage: At Madison Square Garden on national television as part of the Jimmy V Classic.

“Sometimes your record may not be as glamorous, but the goal is to make sure you’re getting better,” N.C.State coach Mark Gottfried said. “You’ve got to get to the point where you are winning those marquee games.”

The Wolfpack has dropped two of its last three games, falling to OklahomaState in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off championship game and at Michigan. After tonight, N.C.State’s other six games this month are at home.

N.C.State’s participation in the Jimmy V Classic is appropriate given that Jim Valvano is a former Wolfpack coach.

“When you look around the country, a lot of people will be watching, recruits will be watching,” Gottfried said. “We’re trying to do things that set us apart, and (this event) is going to be a fun night because of all the things.”

“I think it’s a privilege for us to be in that game. I think that’s a big deal for N.C.State.”

This is the second time N.C.State will participate in the Jimmy V Classic. The Wolfpack lost to Gonzaga in 2002.

Valvano’s widow, Pam Valvano, was scheduled to be on tonight’s flight with the team to New York.

“I don’t know if she will speak to the team, but I want the guys to know who she is,” Gottfried said.

N.C.State will wear a specially designed uniform for this game. It was something Gottfried requested of adidas, which supplies the jerseys, this summer.

“They came up with the design, which I thought was really good,” Gottfried said. “When I first saw it, I thought it was really cool.”

The matchup pits the Wolfpack against a Connecticut team that’s barred from the NCAA tournament this season. And the Huskies had their feelings hurt last week when it was bypassed for an invitation to join the Atlantic Coast Conference, which picked Louisville instead.

Tip-off

Who: No. 25 N.C.State (4-2) vs. Connecticut (6-1)

When: 9 tonight (ESPN)

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York

Series: Tied 2-2, with N.C.State winning the most-recent meeting in March 2005 in the NCAA Tournament’s second round.